No timeframe for restoration of full service on Staten Island Railway

View full sizeStaten Island Advance/Jan Somma-HammelMTA workers redirect commuters to shuttle bus in the wake of the Staten Island Railway service suspension into and out of St. George ferry terminal station.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The MTA is working to repair a sinkhole that has suspended Staten Island Railway service out of the St. George ferry terminal station; the agency can't say for certain if full service will be resumed in time for the evening rush hour.

The service was disrupted this morning due to a sinkhole near the Tompkinsville station; no timetable for restoration of full service has been set, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokeswoman Deirdre Parker.

All service is operating out of the Stapleton station, Ms. Parker told the Advance shortly after noon, but that status is moment-to-moment as the MTA responds to the situation. A one-track operation may be put in place, which would see St. George-bound and Tottenville-bound trains each taking turns on the one track, with delays at both ends. But at least that would allow for limited direct service into and out of St. George.

In the mean time, the MTA has started shuttle bus service connecting the affected stations with St. George.